Day 13 – Mark Chapter 11

Promise: Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deut. 7:9

The Lord has made a covenant of love with you. He is faithful, the faithful God. Faithful is defined by Merriam-Webster as ‘firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty.’ Do you consider yourself faithful? How does God’s faithfulness influence your own faith life?

Read Chapter 11.

This chapter starts the week of Passover, in which many of Israel’s faithful traveled to Jerusalem for the celebration. Describe the scene as you imagine it was. What did the people do that would seem to welcome a king, as verses 9-10 indicate?

What did the townspeople’s acclamation of Jesus as he enters the city say of him? And of them?

Jesus cursed a fig tree in verse 14 because it did not have fruit. The fig tree is often considered a symbol for the Israelites.  What would the fruit represent if the fig tree represents people? What does this say of the Israelites that there were leaves but no fruit?

As the disciples pass the tree again the next day, it is withered from the roots. Again, considering the fig tree represented the Israelites, how did this picture describe their condition?

Peter exclaims that, ‘The fig tree you cursed has withered!’ Based on Jesus’ response on prayer and faith, Peter may have focused on the power of Jesus in his exclamation. In verses 23-25, Jesus describes three conditions of the heart in prayer, what are they?

John’s gospel tells of Jesus clearing the temple in his first year of ministry. Mark tells of this happening again in the third year of ministry. How does this demonstrate God’s faithfulness and mercy?

Reading the passage in which Jesus cleared the temple at face value may leave the impression that Jesus drove out people who were trying to make a living. Some see this as harsh event, but Jesus describes it ‘a den of robbers’ (v. 17). Knowing the character of Jesus, what do you think the locals were doing that instigated Jesus throwing them out of the temple? What was the condition of the heart of the money changers and salespeople?  

The temple is the place where God dwells with his people. What kind of temple does Jesus demonstrate that he wants to see by driving out those who were buying and selling?

Application: As Christians, we are described as God’s temple in 1 Corinthians 3:16. What should our living temples be like when considering verses 15-18?